Online exhibition opening: 'After Dark' by Maggie Diaz

BY Fox Galleries | 10-Jul-2018

These images of musicians who enlivened Chicago’s nightlife, and furthermore of African Americans who took the stage and shared their art in pre-Civil rights movement America, are emblematic of Maggie Diaz’s intuitive eye for impactful photographs.

Maggie Diaz arrived in Melbourne in 1961 and soon established herself as a leading commercial photographer and one of Australia’s few women photographers. Her first photographs were shot in 1950s Chicago where she walked on both sides of the street – capturing haunting scenes at the Lower North Centre housing project alongside images of millionaires as the resident photographer at the elite Tavern Club.

‘After Dark’ features a selection of iconic photographs Diaz made of jazz and blues musicians during her years in Chicago. The first publicity photographs for the now celebrated 'Ramsey Lewis Trio' will be on view, including the original band members, bass player Eldee Young and drummer Redd Holt. Also included will be an elegant portrait of Kiki Williams who was a blues singer and pianist at a lowkey nightclub, The Nocturne.

These images of musicians who enlivened Chicago’s nightlife, and furthermore of African Americans who took the stage and shared their art in pre-Civil rights movement America, are emblematic of Diaz’s intuitive eye for impactful photographs. Dramatic lighting, deep contrast and measured compositions come together to offer the viewer a window into the lives of artists from a different era who still move us today.

To view this online exhibition visit our website or come in to the gallery's stockroom starting 19 June. See more work by Maggie Diaz here.

A cartoon about the life and times of a Sri Lankan panda bear, sculptures of weird little characters, hand-blown glass inspired by nature, a virtual reality installation, photography dealing with audience psychology and a variety of paintings are some of the works from emerging professional artists that will be featured at the Hall & Wilcox Art Exhibition.